1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector provided with a partial engagement preventing function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, there has been known a connector which uses a lock arm to prevent a partial engagement. Specifically, an elastically deformable lock arm is provided on one connector housing, and a movable member which is biased by a spring member so as to move forward with respect to an engagement direction is provided right above an entering path of the lock arm in the other connector housing. Upon the engagement of both housings, an engaging portion provided on the lock arm moves onto a locking portion provided in the entering path, thereby being elastically deformed to face the movable member. The two housings are being engaged while the movable member is pressed against a biasing force. When the housings are properly engaged, the engaging portion of the lock arm moves beyond the locking portion and the lock arm is returned to its original position, with the result that the housings are locked by the engagement of the engaging portion with the rear surface of the locking portion and the movable member is returned to its original position. On the other hand, if the engagement is interrupted at a stage where the housings are partly engaged, the housings are pushed back by the biasing force of the spring member, so that the partial engagement can be easily discriminated.
In the aforementioned prior art connector, the connector housings are locked in their properly engaged states by the engagement of the engaging portion of the lock arm and the locking portion of the mating connector housing. Since the locking portion is formed in the entering path in the mating connector housing, the construction within the entering path becomes complicated, disadvantageously leading to an increased production cost for a mold molding the connector housing.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to provide a connector housing provided with a partial engagement preventing function which has a simple construction.